We also have a pretty awesome article about British stereotypes, so feel free to check that out if you’re interested! Idris Alasi, 17, from Peckham, agrees that slang is central to the assertion of teenage identity. For example, you might hear “You can cook – you’re such a keeper.”. Stitched up – is when someone has taken advantage of you. Used to mean if something is a bit stupid. Chin wag – means to have a long chat and its origins come from a Welsh word meaning empty. Here's a comprehensive guide to the slang spoken by "roadmen". Cheerio – No it is not just a breakfast cereal but also one of the many words used to say goodbye in the UK. For example, "When my dad saw the mess I made, he lost the plot.”. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Minted – if someone is described as minted it means they are rich, so become their best friend immediately! Quid. Whether you enjoy following The Royal Family or binging shows like “Doctor Who” and “Peaky Blinders”, you’ve undoubtedly come across some weird and wonderful words that make up British English slang. Jim jams – is slang for pyjamas and as a student you’ll hear “I think it’s time to put on my jim jams and get into bed – I’m exhausted!” – a lot! To get you started we have some suggestions for some great British artists below. I'm not really sure if this is slang or whether the American use of healthful is the real alternative to the English "healthy".
If an English person says they want a wee direct them to the nearest toilet! If someone is being “cheeky,” they are being slightly rude or disrespectful but in a charming or amusing way. Enter Tandem….
On the lash – means to drink excessive amounts of alcohol and you may hear Brits saying, “Are you out on the lash tonight?”. We use cookies to give you the best experience on our website.
Get it? British rap and hip hop artists: Stormzy, Professor Green, Dizzee Rascal, and Wretch 32. If you are a “cheeky” child, you are being brash or disrespectful and will probably get into trouble. Porkies – if you are accused of telling a “porkie” it’s serious. “You stupid sod!“ or “You lucky sod!” for example. You what – mostly Brits use this when they haven’t heard or understood what was said. The origins of this saying refer to the brass handles on doors which get very cold. Gabriel Wyner, author and founder of the Fluent Forever app, discusses what the science says about learning a language with flashcards!
For crying out loud – This is a replacement for a rude word. Bob’s your uncle – the origins of this saying and how it is used today differ. This will continue until everyone in the group has bought a drink. Plonk – is used to describe wine and the reference is that it isn’t the best quality wine. People are the soul of a country. This one had most of us confused when we first heard it on Love Island 2019. For example, you might hear “She was so angry that she was effing and blinding all the way home!”, Eejit – an Irish-based pronunciation of the word “Idiot.”. Here is a quiz for you to test your knowledge.
Lacking “fivers” and “tenners” if you will (see below). Practice speaking 180+ languages, including 12 sign languages, by chatting via text, audio messages, and video calling. It’s brass monkeys outside – is used when it is bitterly cold. It is taken from an old English word that means “to know”. The Tandem Language Exchange app connects language learners with native speakers all over the world for free. Grub – is slang for food and comes from the old English word meaning ‘dig’.
“The Great British Bake Off” (GBBO for short) is riddled with light-hearted humor and is very fun to watch.
This is not a nice feeling. We do still say 'bloody hell' quite a lot though. The essence of the saying is that you shouldn’t worry about it. It describes a person, usually a man, who is very unpleasant, incompetent, or is an idiot.
Rank – is slang for something that is horrible, in bad taste or actually smells unpleasant. For example: “She is under the cosh to deliver that project on time.”. For example you might say a chair has a wonky leg. Example: “God, I haven’t been to a lecture for yonks!”. “I legged it from the police.”. Numpty – if someone does or says something inappropriate, wrong or a bit silly you might hear a Brit saying “You numpty you’ve got your T-shirt on back to front.”, Naff – is used to describe something that is of poor or inferior taste. Listen to music from British artists and check out the lyrics of the songs. However, “pants” can also be used as an equivalent of the word "bad" e.g. For example: “Keep your hair on – I only accidentally deleted your dissertation.”.
British pop artists: Ed Sheeran, Lily Allen, Jessie J, Rita Ora, Dua Lipa, and Sam Smith. © 2020 Tandem - Speak Any Language. This … Pip pip – an old fashioned way of saying goodbye. Bits ‘n Bobs – is used these days when you want to say you have an odd selection of things for example you could say “I have a few bits’n bobs in the fridge. In a good or bad way! For example: “I wangled an extension on my essay by telling the lecturer my cat died.”. It can be used in casual and formal situations for example someone could say “I’m cheesed off that you ate the last piece of cake.”. I’m easy”. From the valley’s – an expression used to describe people from Wales, owing to the number of valleys (which is the low area between hills) in Wales. Mostly it is stuff like; innit chav well good brill mingin' wkd etc. I’m only two hours late!”, Keep your hair on – can you lose your hair if you get too angry or excited?
For example, “Don’t be so serious, I was only taking the piss.” Not to be confused with “being pissed” (see below). For example, “I was up studying all night last night, I’m absolutely knackered.”, Someone who has “lost the plot” has become either angry, irrational, or is acting ridiculously. Not my cup of tea – is a saying used when something is not to your liking.
Quack – is slang for a doctor that is suspected of not have the correct qualifications. Gobsmacked – if you are gobsmacked you are amazed by something or someone. MORE ... accents and speech patterns found in the UK. If you’ve been “pied off,” you’ve been rejected or shot down.
“That’s bloody brilliant!” for example. You might also see this abbreviated to “CBA” in textspeak.
Bill Bryson Has Announced that he's retired - What's your favorite? “The Inbetweeners” is a popular British comedy that follows a group of four socially troubled friends growing from their teenage years into adulthood. Jar – is slang for a pint of beer.
Good luck! This is British slang for British pounds. “Can you Adam and Eve it!” B. If a Scottish person says they want a wee drink they want a whiskey. For example: “I’d love to get my mitts on a new camera!”, Mind your P’s and Q’s – means to be on your best behaviour.
Lurgy – if someone has the lurgy stay away. Tandem - Mobile Language Exchange is licensed by Tandem Fundazioa. Reem – is slang for something being nice, good or cool and originates from Essex. Queenie – affectionate term Brits use to refer to Queen Elizabeth II (the current Queen). For example, your lecturer might describe your essay “as a load of tosh” …. If you continue we assume that you consent to receive these cookies. Kerfuffle – is a fuss or commotion. Queen of the south – is Cockney rhyming slang for mouth. You’ll know which one it is by their tone and body language. British Slang is a fountain of beautiful words that we don’t normally use in America. Confused? Knowing some Portuguese greetings will go a long way when connecting with native Portuguese speakers. One can get creative here and just add “ed” to the end of practically any object to get across the same meaning eg. “I was absolutely gutted when I heard the bad news.”, “Blimey” is used as a way of expressing surprise at something, “Blimey, look at that!”, Get your mind out of the gutter! A cuppa is the shortened version of “a cup of tea.” You might hear the expression “fancy a cuppa?” quite often which is normally always referring to tea. For example: “You’re flogging a dead horse by asking Martha to move to the UK – she hates rain”.
“Faffing around” is a very British pleasure. For example, you may hear a Brit saying “For the umpteenth time, I said no I will not take the dog for a walk!”, Up for it – slang for being enthusiastic/willing to participate. It's no surprise then that slang in the city of London alone, for example, can be so dissimilar, nevermind between different English speaking countries in general. Your round – if you go to a pub with a group of friends it is most likely that one person will buy the whole group a drink. For example: “Tom gets a bit lairy after a few drinks.”. Germany. Bees knees – the phrase does not relate to bees or knees but is an idiom for excellent. Oh my giddy aunt – is another expression for “Oh my God!” and used to show shock or surprise.